Consequences (Earth-61)
"Consequences" is the pilot episode to StreetM's Ben 10 reboot Alienated: A Hero Reborn. It was written by StreetM. Episode (From a fully black screen, little dancing bolts of green energy come from the sides.) (They begin to approach each other and interlock, creating a sparking noise and expanding into an odd shape.) (The electric bolts vanish and sharpen the shape to a green outline of the Omnitrix symbol. The symbol begins to rotate as a green circle outline forms around it. The symbol stops while upright and green diagram-like lines of circuits begin to creep out the sides of the emblem.) (The symbol is filled with a solid green color and glows as the camera zooms out to show this on a computer screen.) (The camera slowly pans to the right and rotates to show what's behind the computer screen: a cylindrical incubator-like pedestal on which the Omnitrix sits.) (Around the Omnitrix is a green laser shield sparking with electricity.) (The camera begins to zoom in on the Omnitrix as the electric sparks shroud it and the camera shakes.) (The scene cuts to black.) (The next shot abruptly cuts to an overhead view of hands assembling circuit-like pieces on a glowing white tabletop.) (The camera then shifts to a first-person view of these hands building something, similar to the view from a shooter video game.) (The camera shakes as a slight rumbling and faint alarm is heard on the right. The worker whose perspective the camera is taking turns to the right.) (A green door on a black and green wall lights up and opens. Two armored and armed men walk in.) 1: There's been a break-in. Worker: I understand. Leave it. 2: Leave it? We're here to guard you, but the commotion below doesn't sound good. Worker: It shouldn't be a problem. Hey, look, this is sort of interrupting my flow of thought, I was busy. Can you go take this outside? (The men look at each other, confused.) Worker: I meant what I said. (The men are about to leave when another similarly-dressed man frantically comes running from the halls.) 3: Hey, guys! Guys, I seriously need help down there. 1: We're the private security detail for this office. We're not the unit authorized to be in your location. 3: Does it really matter? We're getting slaughtered down there! Please, help us! (PEW!) 3: AAH!!! (Red bolts of electricity surround him by the back and electrocute him - he collapses with smoke spewing from his charred back and clothes.) (The two other guards aim their guns... there stands Aggregor with his staff.) 1: You! I thought you were responsible for the hassle below! Aggregor: I thought you were responsible for keeping that from happening. 2: We're not, this is our assigned spot. Aggregor: Away from everything... you must be feeling safe. 1: We don't take threats, and we don't negotiate with terrorists! Aggregor: You're branding me as a terrorist that fast? 2: You put your hands in the air! (Aggregor slowly lifts his hands, with his staff raised as well.) Aggregor: Guess I keep the staff, then. (The grunts and slashes the ceiling open with his spear, and the split sections collapse. The guards get back.) (Aggregor lunges at them and stabs one through the chest - the other rushes him from behind but Aggregor kicks him back, and spins around, taking him down with a flying kick. He then calmly pulls the spear out of the other man and walks into the room.) (The first-person camera following the worker shows him quietly turning back to his table to work, and then back at Aggregor.) Worker: Oh, I'm sorry. Are you here for something? Sit down, I'm all ears. Aggregor: I hope you know I'm not here to talk. Worker: *(Sigh)* Fine, I'll play fair. Are you here to kill me or to take the Omnitrix? Aggregor: All of the above. Worker: I'd prefer it if you start with B, I'm almost done with this little fella. (Aggregor spins his staff in his right hand and aims it at the Omnitrix's pedestal.) Aggregor: Your confidence betrays you. Worker: Shall we see to it? Perhaps another time? Aggregor: Time isn't the most abundant for me, your horrors will come quick. Consider it mercy. (He stabs the spear through the shield and the electric sparks collide violently, scorching part of the security device.) (Aggregor rotates his spear slowly and redirects the electricity into a wall switch - it deflects and shoots back at the security device, frying it. The shield vanishes and the overhead shield projector dangles.) (Aggregor calmly picks up the Omnitrix.) Worker: Good luck wearing that. Aggregor: I'll have all the time once I kill you. And that's part A, remember? Worker: That's good, very good. Saving the most difficult for the last. Aggregor: Difficult? Please, don't bluff in front of me. Worker: You think I'm bluffing? Aggregor: Why would you not be? Worker: I can give you several reasons. Aggregor: Start with one. Worker: As you wish. (Claps hands) (The first-person camera looks at Aggregor, but suddenly, a figure lands hard on the table in a running stance. He aims two pistols at Aggregor.) Aggregor: I didn't know you have a puppy dog. Worker: There's a lot of things you don't know about Rook. (Rook fires at Aggregor's left hand, which is holding the Omnitrix, but Aggregor blocks it with his staff.) (Rook pulls out two swords slashes at Aggregor, which Aggregor blocks again. Rook jumps and flips over Aggregor and stabs one sword back, but Aggregor rapidly turns and blocks that too. He swings his staff but Rook slides below him, kicks his abdomen while doing so, and does a flying kick to his back as he gets up behind him.) (Aggregor stumbles into the wall, and Rook lands two jabs to his face before getting knocked back by a swing of the staff.) (The worker calmly looks back to his table and continues assembling a few tubular gauntlets - noises of fighting are heard around him.) (The camera pans over to the fight - Aggregor uppercuts Rook, which Rook dodges and kicks Aggregor's stomach in response. He spins and does a roundhouse, followed by a karate chop to his left shoulder. He then kicks Aggregor's left arm up from below, knocking the Omnitrix off and sending it flying.) (The camera goes back to the worker's first-person view - he quietly catches the Omnitrix.) (The worker turns around and walks over to the wall behind him. He presses a few buttons and a safe unlocks. He places the Omnitrix inside.) (The worker then presses a few more buttons and the safe closes with a glass cover over it - its outline glows green as an unlocking sound is heard.) (A screen on the control pad displays the word "LAUNCH". The worker presses it.) (The green outline flashes and beeps and the Omnitrix is ejected into space inside its escape pod.) (CRASH!) (Aggregor's spear comes flying and smashes the glass cover.) Aggregor: NO! (Aggregor vaults over the worktable, kicking Rook back in the process, and pulls his spear out.) (He brings it down on the worker but Rook kicks him in the lower back, and grabs his head, pulling him to the ground.) (Aggregor gets up and smashes the wall again with his spear.) (Several lights flicker and go out, while electric sparks go all over the place in the now-exposed wiring.) (Rook lunges at Aggregor, who dodges him.) (Rook pulls out a baton-like weapon and holds it in the electric sparks, charging it and unfolding it into a shuriken-like blade weapon.) (Rook throws the electrified shuriken at Aggregor, who hits it aside with his staff. The shuriken goes flying into a wall and slices some wiring, electrifying the wall and cracking open bits of it.) (Rook charges at Aggregor, who drives the butt of his spear into the cracked wall. Machinery breaks and more of the wall gives way, enough to bring in the vacuum of space.) (Aggregor stumbles towards the wall.) (The camera cuts back to first-person view of the worker, who staggers backwards.) Worker: Rook, get back! Rook: Hang on! (He lunges at Aggregor with his sword, but Aggregor dodges it... and breaks through the wall in the process.) (Rook staggers to the right and finds himself cornered to protect himself from the vacuum of space.) (Aggregor, meanwhile, stumbles and gets sucked out. He hangs onto an edge of the ship.) (Rook staggers forward, but Aggregor accidentally rips out the wall of the ship he was holding onto.) Aggregor: AAH!!! (He goes flying back and is hit by the loose wall, which lingers off into space and carries him with it.) Rook: Sir, we have to reach the bridge of the ship! (An electric spark travels across the ceiling and short-circuits a switch on the opposite wall.) Rook: That was the emergency generator! Worker: I know, it's- (KABOOM!) (The electric spark's line of scorching splits the ceiling and leaves a section of the ship dangling.) (The first-person camera is covered by glass into indicate the worker activating his helmet.) Worker: Rook, this section of the ship will give way any minute! Rook: Same here! Does that mean we can't reach the bridge? Worker: My last commands to you: abandon ship! The Omnitrix is safe! Rook: If that's all that matters, it's been an honor, sir! Worker: (Salutes) To another day, another innovation! Enjoy Planet Earth! (KABOOM!) (The piece of the ship the worker is clinging onto breaks free and tumbles loose into space.) (Rook, meanwhile, coils a nearby wire around his arm.) (He closes his eyes as electric sparks make their way down the halls of the ship and engulf it in fire.) (The fire lights Rook's face as he mouths "planet Earth".) (The camera slowly zooms out to see the jettisoned ship debris floating through space.) (The camera pans towards Earth...) (The camera begins to zoom slowly past Earth and through space as a circuit-like pattern starts surrounding the screen...) ---- THEME SONG: The camera moves through space and various planets as battle music plays, and then back to Earth - it pans through clouds, trees, and cities and over to a barren field at nighttime - the camera and the ground shake like an earthquake until a blocky 3D logo of "Alienated: A Hero Reborn" lands hard on the ground. ---- (A teacher is going over mathematical concepts on the projection monitor.) Teacher: When encountering a quadratic equation in which the A value is greater than one, rather than go through the troubles of factoring, I propose to you a new idea. The quadratic formula. Would anyone who is already knowledgeable of this concept care to share it? Tennyson: No. (He and several other students are watching with their heads nearly down on their tables, bored.) Teacher: Mr. Tennyson, I believe you have the basic courtesy to acknowledge that I was in fact addressing everyone and not you. So, anyone? (Pause) Very well then. (The teacher takes out his EXPO marker and begins writing on the whiteboard.) Teacher: Negative B, plus or minus the square root of B squared minus four times AC. That divided by double the value of A. Operate on both the plus and the minus and you have the two values comprising your solution. Simple, eh? Ben: No. Teacher: Mr. Tennyson, are you even paying attention? Is anyone? Ben: No. (Ben yawns but the camera goes into freeze-frame in the middle of it. Ben begins narrating as the camera pans through a frozen classroom.) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsghHVcl7OM THIS MUSIC PLAYS DURING BEN'S NARRATION.] (Narrating): NO. To any of this. I mean, look at us! This is a classroom, not a pub! Everyone here is so sleepy they look wasted thanks to that poncy idiot who uses a whiteboard despite having a projector. (The next shot shows Ben carrying his things down the hall.) Ben: Now don't blame me just because you think I'm a technology freak, that guy makes "math class" synonymous with hell. My parents told me they always liked quadratic equations - either Mr. Barnes makes Sheldon Cooper look bad, or, god help me if this is the case, my parents are optimistic about BAD THINGS. (Ben walks into his science classroom.) Ben: Oh, but that's not all. Mr. Riley over there, he's one for constant games of Devil's Advocate because of how sadistically twisted the science curriculum is. They expect the maniacs on their payroll to call out a poor sucker for putting a semicolon instead of a dash when shifting subjects! And Mr. Riley's way of thinking is that every class is every class - science is language arts because of lab reports, health is science because of the biology aspect, and so on. Nice way to put it if he didn't reinforce it in the worst way possible. (Mr. Riley comes over to Ben's desk.) Riley: That extra space between the fifth and sixth bullet on your materials list is a point off this assignment, young man! (As Mr. Riley continues walking, Ben gets up, picks up his chair, and smashes Mr. Riley with it as the stunned students begin cheering.) (The scene cuts back to Ben staring at Mr. Riley in anger to indicate he was merely thinking this.) Ben: Then need I mention Mrs. June (A shot of an elderly language arts teacher is shown), who's already so old to teach yet she always brings in a Professor Xavier to substitute. That's counterproductive! (A wheelchair-bound teacher uses a stick to point to words on a blackboard.) (Ben continues to narrate while a montage of him sitting bored in various classes is shown.) Ben: Well, I guess you get that "shoot me in the head" is a running theme across Bellwood's own Guantanamo High. (In the evening, Ben walks out of school with his backpack.) Ben: And at the end of it all, they decide to have the mercy to free students from academic holocaust every 3 PM. These people call home life a privilege and they take the torture there with everyone's favorite concept. (Ben pulls out "Quadratics Chapter 8: The Quadratic Formula - Practice Worksheet" from his binder.) Ben: The quadratic formula must work great for those guys, but for me, the one equation I'm dying to follow through on is "homework equals paper for the fireplace". (A shot of Ben spying on the living room is shown. His dad is sitting and reading a newspaper there.) Ben: Only problem is that my dad, whose job is to essentially define "sedentary", has made a home for himself in that shabby couch which sits right in front of the Great Domain of Liberation. (A shot of the fireplace is shown.) Ben: So I'm stuck proving myself as a teenager by not getting smart-alecky and topping the Reddit columns like age 10. (A scene of 10 year-old Ben writing sarcastic answers and drawing things on his assignment is shown.) Ben: Well, thankfully for you, I'm the kind of normal person who has bad dreams. (Ben wakes with a start inside his tent.) (He unzips the entrance and walks out.) (He looks up at the trees.) (He looks back down and sees the campfire still burning.) Ben: *(Sigh)* Of course they didn't put out the fire. (Ben looks up. The camera pans around the trees and the beautiful starry night sky.) (Narrating): Quite the sky tonight, eh? Oh, and if you're wondering who "they" are, it's Romeo and Juliet. (He looks down abruptly and looks straight. Another tent is seen.) (Narrating): Time and time again I've learned that the indulgences of curiosity always lead to a bad path - this means I never really peek into that tent to see what those idiots are up to. My mindset resembles a horror movie, sure, but so do they, from my perspective. (The tent entrance flaps shake.) (Ben puts his hands on his hips and blows out air in exasperation.) (Suddenly, one of the flaps lifts up and a red-haired girl about Ben's age steps out.) Ben: Phew! Gwen: (Yelling from the distance) What are you so relieved about? Ben: Juliet, keep your voice down! It's late! Gwen: These are just the random woods, doofus, not some public camp! You think people will hear us? Ben: Yeah, I wonder if you tell him the same thing while in there. Gwen: Shut up! voice from inside the tent: W...what? Ben: Come on out, playboy. (A muscular, long-haired older boy rolls out from the tent, all groggy.) Kevin: *(Yawn)* It's the middle of the night, why are you waking me up? Ben: I didn't wake you up, and it's 6:15. Kevin: *(Groan)* Still the middle of the night for me. (He gets up off the dirt and pats off his shirt. He looks up with his hands on his hips.) Kevin: That sky... Gwen: So... magical. Ben: (In a high, creepily innocent, childish voice and hammy accent) Yeah, so celestially flamboyant! I wonder if a sparkling pony with cotton candy fur will fly by and drop glittery sparkles on us! Gwen: Cotton candy fur? That sounds disgusting! Know your fantasy vocab before you make fun of it! Ben: Calling me out for that? Yeah, spending these months with you is officially called "Summertime Sadness" from now on. Gwen: Don't you dare make fun of that song. Ben: Yeah, only you would be fascinated by songs about suicide. Get real. Kevin: I'' am. ''(He's pulled out the mattress from the tent.) Ben: What's that for? Gwen: I think I know. After all, we can appreciate things a lot more than you. Ben: Sure, you can, but I don't know about Mr. Criminal. Kevin: I do my best to not set examples of that, thank you very much. (Sits down) Ben: By putting on an act? (Kevin leans back and lies down next to Gwen, looking up at the sky.) Gwen: Go away, we wanna observe the stars in peace. Ben: Yeah, you watch the stars, I'm gonna be doing something more sensible. Gwen: Sumo wresting games? Is that what you call sensible? Ben: Hey, it's more sensible than lying around like Slenderman bait, am I right? Kevin: You're wrong, now get outta here. Ben: Fine, just be sure to pack a telescope next time. Oh, and a mathematician's book, if you want to calculate where to find your galactic beauty. Kevin: You're the sci-fi geek around here, now leave! Ben: It's just science, not sci-fi! (Goes into his tent) (Several stars are seen twinkling randomly in the sky.) Gwen: Wow... Kevin: Is that supposed to be Venus? Gwen: Uh... (squints) No. Sometimes even you say random things. Kevin: Come on, Ben's the one who's always off on his comic crap. He hated science class anyways. Gwen: Well, often what he says is right, if not a point, to say the least. Kevin: Is that why you get mad? Because he's always right? Gwen: No, just the way he puts everything. Thinks he knows so much, blah blah. Kevin: Typical know-it-all, it'll pass. Gwen: Maybe he's just uncomfortable. Kevin: Uncomfortable? About what? Gwen: You know, us? Kevin: Huh? Gwen: I mean, don't take it wrong, but you know, back in the day? Our grandpa, always taking us for trips when we were young, our stupid fights, that seem so innocent... I guess he just misses it. Kevin: What, you think he's jealous? Gwen: No, it's just the rivalry. Despite how stupid it is, it comes in its innocent ways, excellent cure for loneliness... he may just be a bit nostalgic. Kevin: Well- I, I hope I'm not involved in this, because I don't want him to drive a wedge between- Gwen: Oh, of course not. Kevin: You sure about that? Gwen: Of course I'm sure! Kevin: Come here. (They snuggle closer and Gwen leans on Kevin's shoulder.) (A star twinkles brightly for a few seconds.) Gwen: I wonder what that was. (They hear something on the side.) (Ben comes out with his handheld gaming device and leans back against a pillow.) Kevin: What are you doing here? Ben: You know, after all that, the sky's actually quite pretty, I thought I'd let it, you know, linger, while I play. Kevin: Fine by me, I guess. Well, as long as you keep it down. Ben: (Holds up earphones) I'm using these. You two keep it down as well. (Kevin shakes his head in ridicule and looks back up.) (Gwen points at the same twinkling star.) Gwen: That star's shining again. Kevin: Is it moving? (The star shines and twinkles blue for quick second, before slightly shifting position.) (Gwen gets up a little.) Gwen: Whoa... (Ben, meanwhile, puts on his earphones and loads up the main menu of Sumo Slammers Generations.) (He goes over to "Load Game", and then looks to the left. Gwen and Kevin are standing up.) (He puts down the game and takes off his earphones, looking up.) Ben: Guys? Gwen: Ben, come here, fast! Look at that! Ben: Yes, the sky, so what? Gwen: No, not the sky, the star! See that one, shining? Ben: Twinkle twinkle, little star, how I wonder- (Kevin knocks him on the shoulder.) Kevin: Get real! Seriously, look! (Ben looks intently and then slightly angles his head, squinting.) (His expression turns to slight fascination.) Ben: Just a sec... (He turns and runs to his tent. A few seconds later, he comes back with a backpack.) (He digs through it and pulls out binoculars.) Kevin: Are you serious? (Ben holds the binoculars to his eyes and looks up.) Ben: Wait... (He rotates a few nobs on the lenses and angles his head slightly.) Ben: My god... Kevin: What is it? (Ben gives the binoculars to Kevin.) Ben: Look at that! Kevin: (Looks through) I don't see anything. Ben: No, at the star! See how it's burning? Kevin: What burning? All comets burn! Ben: No, it looks like there's actual flame coming out. And some chunky stuff just, like, flying off! Gwen: Hey, guys, doesn't that star look closer than it should be? Ben: Huh? Gwen: Look! Ben: Oh my god... Kevin: OW!! Ben: Whoa, what was that? Kevin: Something just landed on my shoulder! (He reaches back, behind him, and then bends down. He picks something up.) Ben: What did you just pick up? Kevin: It's kinda warm, touch it. It's pretty hard. (Kevin has a tiny chunk of a black material in his hand.) Gwen: It feels... metallic. (Ben looks back up.) (The star is much further to the right.) Ben: You're right, Gwen, that thing is closer than we expected! Gwen: Wait, then is this... a piece of the star? Ben: Probably! That means it's in the atmosphere! (The star is rapidly lowering and plummeting down to the right.) Ben: And it's coming towards us! (Ben stars walking to the right, following the star.) Gwen: Ben? Ben, what are you doing? (Ben starts walking faster as he narrates.) (Narrating): Remember what I said about curiosity's consequences? Scratch that for now, this looks too exciting. Kevin: Is he... Ben: You guys continue your star-watching, I'll be back! Gwen: Are you crazy? What are you- (Ben runs off into the woods.) Gwen: BEN! (She runs over to the entrance. She sees Ben's silhouette fade off behind the trees.) Gwen: BEN? (Kevin runs over.) Kevin: Gwen, calm down- (Gwen cautiously steps over a few logs and runs into a slightly open area, leaning over.) (She doesn't see Ben. She runs towards a trail-like clearing and walks ahead.) Gwen: BEN! Kevin: Gwen, come back here! (Kevin suddenly looks up as a blinding light makes its way forward.) Kevin: Is he chasing after it? Gwen: I don't know why, but it's gonna get him hurt! Kevin: What, is this a meteor crash or something? We should film it! Gwen: You get serious! Follow me! (Kevin hesitantly steps over a few logs and rocks and comes towards Gwen. He wraps his hand around a tree and leans over to look down the path.) Gwen: We can't see him from here, we have to go further down! Kevin: *(Sigh)* What is he up to? Gwen: Good question! Come on! (MEANWHILE, FURTHER DOWN) (Ben is sprinting down the forest, nearly tripping over logs. His arms slightly flail and make wide sideways motions as he constantly looks up to see the falling star.) (Panting, he slows down near a cluttered, uneven piece of terrain covered by branches, twigs, stumps and piles of foliage.) (Cautiously stepping through the mess of wood, he narrowly stretches his leg over to a log and jumps over - his left leg is caught onto a branch. He trips, and only stumbles forward over to a clearing. He continues to run.) (The star has made it ahead of him by now and is like a simple blinding light illuminating the woods ahead.) (Ben runs around a few trees to avoid the light and continues forward - he stumbles again, noticing his untied shoe.) (He continues running and hopping on one foot - his leg is suddenly tripped by a log, and he falls over.) Ben: AH! (He staggers to his feet and hastily gets down to tie his shoes.) (While tying, he looks up to see the light rapidly approaching the ground.) (He lets go and continues running.) echoing voice from the distance: BEN? (Ben looks behind him and then looks back ahead, panting.) (The light has stopped in the distance, intensely glowing and making the trees ahead silhouettes.) (Ben continues running; he hears some sparking noises as a cloud of dust engulfs him. He covers his eyes with his hands, and runs while stumbling and coughing.) (BOOM!) (The light retracts as a wavy line of fire shoots out to the right and burns a bit of the ground and some logs.) (Within the darkness of the lower forest, Ben sees spiraling fire crawling up and torching the bottom of a large tree.) (He staggers to the left and approaches a dying light now covered by heavy smoke.) (CRASH!) (Ben is thrown off his heels - he stumbles upward and looks behind him - a tree has fallen down.) Ben: Yikes! (Further down, Gwen and Kevin slow down and cautiously stumble over to the clearing.) Kevin: What was that? Gwen: It sounded like a tree falling! I saw a bit of fire! Kevin: FIRE? (MEANWHILE, FURTHER DOWN) (Ben is limping and staggering over to the center of the smoke, coughing and fanning the smoke aside.) (He coughs and then collapses to his knees, struggling and slowly crawling his way towards the center.) Ben: WHOA! (He stumbles and rolls over into a dip in the land; it's a crater.) (He slowly gets up and looks to the right, seeing sparks fly in the smoke with crackling noises.) Ben: Huh? (Suddenly, a green light ominously shimmers.) (Ben continues to stare at it confusedly.) (Gwen and Kevin run towards the smoke, panting and coughing.) Gwen: *(Cough)* Ben? (Kevin bends down and rests his palms on his knees, panting.) Gwen: Ben! (She fans aside smoke and slowly walks down the slope of the crater, briefly running forward.) (She also sees the green light.) Gwen: B-Ben? Kevin, get over here? Voice: *(Pant)* Yeah, just, just a sec! (Gwen cautiously makes her way towards the light. The smoke clears around it - she leans over and faintly sees Ben on his knees next to the light.) Gwen: Ben! (She runs over.) (In front of a knee-crouching Ben is a strange-looking spherical object, lined with glowing green circuits.) Gwen: BEN! What was that all about? (Ben is staring blankly at the sphere.) Gwen: Are you in a trance or something? Ben: No... ask me what this is about. (He bends slightly forward and feels the sphere, then immediately pulls back.) Ben: OW, it's hot! Don't touch it! Gwen: Well of course it's hot! It's a meteor! Ben: No... *(Pant)* No it's not... (He leans to the sides to see what's under it.) Gwen: What are you looking for? (Kevin, meanwhile, runs over.) Kevin: (Panting) Guys, that was a lot of smoke, what's... ...what the... (Ben timidly reaches for the bottom of the sphere, feeling an outline of something.) (He does an inhaling hiss of pain as he pulls his hands back - he keeps doing this until he slowly touches a rectangular outline.) (He cringes in pain as he pulls at something.) Gwen: Ben, what are you doing? (He pulls his hands back and shakes them off as a compartment in the sphere opens up.) (It's glowing green inside and a silvery steam seeps out.) (Ben puts his hand out, and feels relieved.) Ben: It's... cold in here. Gwen: I don't even know what this is, like some outer space thingy? Ben: Hang on... (He pulls down the compartment door a little more and reaches into the cooled interior.) (He moves his hands around and pulls something out of the coolant steam.) (It's a dome-like transparent green container, with an Omnitrix emblem badge inside.) (Ben stares at it with fascination.) Ben: Looks like we found our big score. Kevin: What is that, like some artifact? Ben: I'm worried of what'll happen if I break this glass or whatever, but... wow. (He rolls and rotates it around in his hands...) (BEEP! BEEP!) (He removes his thumb from the bottom, having accidentally pressed something.) Kevin: What did you do? Ben: I don't know! (Ben drops the container - lines rimming the glass light up in a line and then fade as the container detracts. The Omnitrix badge falls in the dirt.) Ben: What's going on? (He cautiously picks up the badge - it's no normal badge - the edges are lined with circuitry and buttons.) Kevin: That looks like one of those spinning toys. (Ben inspects all sides of it - he turns it back around for the emblem to face his own face - it lights up and beeps.) Ben: Whoa! (He drops it and the light fades.) (He reaches back to it and holds it up - the light turns back on when the emblem faces his face.) (The emblem flickers and flashes, before the button circuitry around it lights up. The emblem rotates.) (It stops rotating and the lights flash as it beeps. A green light shines on Ben's face. He covers it with his hand.) Ben: AH! (The light flickers.) (He removes his hand and squints as the light moves up and down.) Gwen: Is that a laser light or something? It looks like it's scanning you. Ben: Hey, little toy, I have no bombs on me! (The light flashes and goes out - the outline of the badge glows.) (A modified, wavy, distorted and echo-like AI voice speaks.) AI: Voice configuration registered. Processing now. Please stand by. (The emblem starts rotating.) Ben: This thing talks? (The emblem stops spinning, and the badge beeps.) AI: Voice ID confirmed to match species analysis. DNA verification complete. Current default set to: Human. Ben: What's it doing? AI: Optimizing now. (The emblem rotates again as the lights around it flicker and beep; a holographic green projection pops up.) Ben: Whoa... (Ben holds his hand steady so the circuit-covered badge faces up. Projected is a flickering grid of pixels.) (The pixels stop flickering and lines of code rapidly scroll down. That stops too and a brief skeletal diagram rotates with dots around key body parts being identified before that interface closes.) (The emblem stops rotating and all the lights flash.) AI: Device optimized. All values defaulted to ID Class 0081194. Settings finalized. Calibrating. (The badge's circuitry and buttons lining it flash; two straps pop out.) Ben: What just happened? (A series of holographic figurines rapidly scrolls through until it fixates on a pulsating 3D hologram of a human.) Voice on Omnitrix AI: User defaulted to: Benjamin Kirby Tennyson. Device ready for use. (The hologram interface flickers three times with three beeps before going out; all that's left is the glowing emblem.) (Ben is shuddering in astonishment.) Ben: W...what just happened? Kevin: Is that a watch? Gwen: It said "ready for use". I think it wants you to put it on? Ben: No, I mean... what? This thing comes from space all of a sudden and all its settings just randomly center on me. What is this? Gwen: It scanned you and everything, I think it just used your DNA for something. You would know, you're the comic freak. Ben: I'm a comic freak. I... I never expected that kind of stuff to be real, I mean... is this, like, alien tech? For me? Kevin: All kids' wishes just come true for you, lucky guy. If I read comics, I'd be after you by now. Ben: I still haven't put this on. Kevin: So do it! I'm interested, actually, anyways this thing seems to like you. Ben: What if it's unsafe? Gwen: Just like this whole meteor thing being unsafe? You seem to like to take your chances, just go ahead and do it again! Ben: This... *(Pant)* this is crazy. (He shakily positions the watch to his wrist.) Kevin: Come on, go ahead. Ben: Easy for you to say. (He shuts his eyes and touches the dial to his wrist.) (The lights beep and the straps interlock. They mechanically lock themselves together and the dial rotates. It penetrates his wrist from underneath itself.) Ben: AAH!! OW! (The veins on his wrists light up in a circuit-like pattern, before fading out.) (Ben shakes off his stiff wrist.) AI: User defaulted. Biological library now accessible. Ben: Biological library? Kevin: I have no idea, buddy. All I know is that a magic watch from outer space crashes our camping trip and starts to love you. Oh, and Gwen was telling me you feel lonely? Ben: I do not! Kevin: Not anymore, you don't. Ben: Anyways, what do I even do with this? I mean, does it even tell time? Kevin: Don't be hesitant to press a few buttons on that thing, it's fine. Ben: And if this thing is a bomb? Kevin: Don't be so paranoid, either. Just go for it! Ben: You know, you have the kind of attitude those excited leadership kids would have in school assemblies. Not what I'd expect from you. Gwen: He doesn't mean it that way! Ben: Romeo, meet your new spokeswoman Juliet. Juliet, your client. Romeo. Kevin: Shut up, would you? (A shot from afar through high-tech binocular vision shows Ben and the others sitting next to the crashed pod. The binoculars lower.) (Cut back to Ben and the others.) Ben: Okay, I'm gonna give this a shot. (He tries pressing one of the button-like border covers, but it does nothing.) Ben: Huh? These aren't buttons? Gwen: Try turning the dial, or whatever. Ben: Wait, you mean this thing? (He rotates the silver rim around the emblem.) AI: Biological Library accessed. Primus master link established. Prompts disabled. Ben: Wait, what? (He continues to turn the dial after a few seconds and it keeps scrolling through holograms of various odd, inhuman figures.) Ben: What is all this stuff? Where's the time? Gwen: Are those figures or something? Ben: They all look like these creatures from some crazy video game, I really don't know. (Suddenly a red glowing dot starts to hover around Ben.) Gwen: BEN! (Ben looks up straight into a blinding red laser.) (The light source comes closer. Ben visors his hand over his brow to avoid the light and sees a faint silhouette of a figure coming towards them.) (Kevin leans over to see the figure approaching.) Kevin: GUN! (The laser moves to Kevin's chest.) (Ben sees a figure clad in blue and black armor, with a black and blue helmet covering his face. He's carrying a high-caliber assault rifle of some kind.) Ben: Can- can you please put that- (The figure rapidly aims his gun back at Ben.) Man: QUIET! Ben: Whoa, whoa, take it easy, Master Chief, we're not here for trouble. Man: Do you have any idea what you're in possession of? Ben: Uh, no, not really. Man: Then why do you have it with you? Ben: I- I was curious. Hey, look, who are you, exactly? Man: I should ask you the same thing! Where did you find this? (The man's voice is deep and slightly theatrical - it sounds quite similar to that of Thor.) Gwen: Ben, this is all on you. Man: Hold that thought, young man. Who are you two? Gwen: I'm his cousin, this is my boyfriend. Man: Why are you pushing him under the bus for this? I should hold you all accountable, your friend here is simply the highest offender. Ben: Whoa, man, they just followed me here. They're right, it's my fault. I chased the shooting star or whatever here, and- Man: Shooting star? This, my friend, is a pod carrying secure cargo. I doubt I should be telling you this, but if you're telling the truth, a reckless child like you should be informed of the repercussions. Ben: Repercussions to what? Do you want this watch? (He holds it up) Man: *(Sigh)* Oh, dear lord, you put it on. You put it on. Ben: Yes, I put it on. Man: I'm going to have to kill you now. Ben: Yikes, hold up! Slow down, no one's killing anyone! Can you please explain to me why this is so severe? Man: That "watch", along with not being a watch, is something you can't take off without authoritarian protocols I have no current capability of. Ben: Wait, I can't take this off? Man: I was watching the final stages of its configuration. Did it go through a series of calibration procedures? Ben: Yes. And wait, this is not a watch? Man: *(Deep Breath)* What you have on your wrist is not a watch, but a prototype gauntlet constructed in classified labs outside this planet. Its arrival here was the result a last-minute decision in favor of its security. Ben: So this is something highly important to you? Man: To myself and my organization. That kind of information is both too irrelevant as well as too consequentially defiant of protocol to be shared. My superior is your device's architect. Ben: Does this have a name? Man: Do you have a name? Ben: I'm Ben Tennyson, this is my cousin Gwen Tennyson, and the greasy slump back there is our friend Kevin Levin. (Kevin glares at Ben.) Man: Ben Tennyson, the device you possess is known as the Omnitrix, intended for use only by an undisclosed individual - your acquisition of it is purely accidental. Right now, under emergency situations, I have no choice but to kill you. Ben: How do I know you're not some random murderer, or some AWOL military guy? Or, more pointedly, some space criminal? Man: You don't. You also have no right to know, because what I tell you is true no matter what. Ben: Well, is that so? Man: Yes, it is. Now, I'm not going to ask you to give it to me, since there's no way you really can. I also have no reason to inform you of the Omnitrix's features. Ben: I prefer to be self-taught, I can learn myself. (Ben starts turning the dial on the Omnitrix. He presses a button on the side and the dial pops up with a holographic figure projected on it.) Man: Get your hands off of that. Ben: Or? Man: Or I kill you. But of course, I'm already going to kill you, making my only offer left to you to be some final words. Make it quick, I'm sorry it had to end this way. Ben: (Looking at the protruding dial) The question is: sorry for whom? Man: (Aiming gun) I beg your pardon? (Ben, in his panic, slams the dial down on the Omnitrix. He crouches down in pain as his veins glow green.) Gwen: BEN! Man: NO! (Light shines out of Ben's veins as plant seeds crumble out of the green flash and a silhouette is seen contorting and writhing with fire.) (The flash detracts as the man stands back.) (Ben stands as a muscular, decomposing alien that looks like a walking tree, encrusted in moss and vines, and red flower petals on his head. His palms spew smoke.) Man: What have you done? (Ben stares in horror at his decomposing hand.) Swampfire: What have I done? What, what's happening to me? Man: You leave me with no choice, Mr. Tennyson! (The man aims his gun and fires away at Ben.) Swampfire: (Protectively flailing his arms) NO! STOP! (The man lowers his gun; smoke spews from Ben's wounds, which suddenly bind themselves together in vines and grass.) Swampfire: Stop... oh my god... Man: (Shuddering) What is it? Swampfire: (Looks up) Something smells really bad. (Gwen and Kevin are covering their mouths and noses.) Gwen: I... I think it's you. What happened to you? Swampfire: I... I guess, I guess it checks out, I'm all covered in dead plants... and, oh god, are those cockroaches? (The man aims his gun again.) Swampfire: WHOA, whoa, give a guy a second, man! Jeez, cut me some slack, I'm in shock and you're trying to shoot me? What's wrong with you, buddy? (Kevin cracks up behind his closed hand.) (Swampfire begins slowly walking towards the armed man while sneakily getting a hang of his hand movements behind his back. In the meantime he just makes conversation.) Swampfire: I mean, where do you even come from to do this kind of stuff? Did you guys see that by the way? This guy's shooting me and I don't even know what's up with my body! I mean, cockroaches, and dead moss, and what's all this stuff? Oh, and I just remembered, you can't even shoot me! Man: You've made it too late for yourself. You shouldn't have tried using the Omnitrix, your disbelief is therefore short-lived. (Swampfire turns back to the man with an "are you kidding me" face.) (He then grins with his insect-lined teeth and laughs.) Swampfire: I was messing with ya. (POW!) (He uppercuts the man and sends him rolling backwards.) (He stares in astonishment at his right hand.) Swampfire: Nice arm, buddy! Guys, I didn't even feel anything! You think I'm a natural? (Gwen and Kevin watch, entertained. The man gets back up and fires several rounds at Swampfire's chest, which is mildly dented but otherwise unimpeded.) Swampfire: I mean, look at that! I can't get shot! (Laughs) (Shakes his head while grinning at Gwen and Kevin) I can't get shot! Haha! (The man drops his gun and rushes Swampfire.) (Swampfire grabs the man's wrist and jabs his abdomen, then kicks him back.) Swampfire: Ooh, that looked like it hurt, buddy. (Turns to Gwen and Kevin) Look, I don't even know where I'm getting these reflexes, but this watch is AWESOME. Gwen: Would you just shut up? (Swampfire turns to her and glares; the camera zooms in.) Swampfire: NO. (The man comes in for a punch, but Swampfire, still looking at Gwen, blocks it. He turns back around and knees the man's chest. He spins around and swings at the man's face, knocking him back into a tree.) (The man pants.) Swampfire: (Jumping up and down in an athletic fashion) Giving up so soon, buddy? Yeah, I knew I was a natural. (The man pulls out a grenade. It flickers and beeps as he tosses it at Swampfire.) (Swampfire impulsively puts his hands up, but a blast of fire jets out at the grenade.) (KABOOM!) (It explodes in midair.) (Swampfire stares at his hands, wide-eyed.) Swampfire: I am on fire tonight! (The man rushes him and Swampfire jabs him back.) Swampfire: Sorry. Oh, and I mean that about the pun. (The man grunts in anger and rushes Swampfire.) (Swampfire throws him off and shoves him back.) Swampfire: Man, I really have a knack for pissing people off, don't I? Guess it's finally coming in handy. (The man pulls out two large swords and charges at Swampfire.) (Swampfire blocks one, but the man stabs his abdomen with the other, flips around, and stabs the other through Swampfire's back and out his stomach. Plant chemical oozes out.) Man: Mr. Tennyson, congratulations. I'm no longer reluctant about killing you. Swampfire: I'm sorry, did you say "killing" me? I mean, I guess this checks out, (looks at his impaled body) but uh, not for me. You should learn to improvise. Man: I have plenty of other ways to kill you, you criminal. Swampfire: Oh, you're gonna have to save that for next time. (In one move, Swampfire pulls the blades out of his body, slamming the man against his back, turns around, knees the man's stomach, and knocks his head down, hitting it on the butt of the sword, whose blade is driven into the ground. The man falls on his back, unconscious.) Swampfire: Oh, and you need a better helmet. (He looks around and sees the Omnitrix symbol on his chest - he presses it and his anatomy deforms back to human in a green flash.) (He staggers around, dizzy, before steadying himself and staring in disbelief.) (Gwen and Kevin run over.) Ben: OH. MY. GOD. Did you guys see that? DID YOU SEE THAT? Kevin: Dude, you are a BEAST. That was just- Gwen: Shut up. *(Sigh)* What are we doing with this guy? Ben: My god, you are one good actress. Gwen: I'm sorry? Ben: How are you able to hide so much adrenaline and excitement behind one line of deadpan? Gwen: That was never my intention! Ben: Then how are you able to forget about it? Gwen: You, my friend, just added a literal ton of weight to all our shoulders, plus our lives. We're gonna have a long chat and decide what we do about this. Ben: Oh, but you better leave confiscation out, I don't wanna be killed by you anytime soon. Gwen: We'll talk about that too. For now, this guy. Ben: Right... Kevin: You know, I think I have a shovel back in the trunk... Ben: This guy's still alive, what's wrong with you? Kevin: Well, we can't just leave him here, he'll wake up and be on the loose. Ben: What are you suggesting then, that we stay on patrol and clunk him in the head every time he wakes up? Kevin: That'd be tedious, but won't it work? Gwen: Uh, guys, are we forgetting all the questions we have? Secret space organization, super-guns, the fact that ALIENS exist... Ben: Eh, I always believed that as a kid with the comics. But we still need to interrogate this dude - question is how we do that. Kevin: Rope, anyone? Ben: We'd be chopped liver if I didn't have this Omnitrix thing, this guy's got skill. He can escape a rope any day. Kevin: We can keep his gun aimed at him. Ben: Hold that thought, actually. I happen to have a better idea. Gwen: Is that so? Ben: Yeah, one that'll keep him restrained from doing anything stupid. Gwen: Well, let's hope what you're doing isn't stupid, either. Ben: I'm taking my chances. (A shot of pure black opens out into blurry light - this is a first-person shot of eyes opening. The camera pans down to a blurry image of the gang, focusing into clarity.) (The eyes blink rapidly.) (BOOM!) (The hands bang on the table and silverware is heard clinking.) (Rook's head shakes rapidly and he blinks while looking around.) (A few people are looking at him before turning back. He turns to Ben's gang.) Rook: WHERE AM I?? Ben: (Whispering intently) Ssh, keep it down! You're making a scene in a public place! Rook: If this were a public place, these humans would be conversing and moving about. They sit at these miserable booths like prisoners to some callous overlord! Ben: (Cracking up) They're keeping it down because this is a restaurant. Rook: A "restaurant", you say. What I see here is a few cheap weapons covered in some kind of strange handkerchief. (As he says this, he uses his thumb and index finger to disgustedly unroll the silverware inside the napkins and yank the napkins aside.) (In one motion, he tears the napkin in half, and the strings inside dangle inside the tear.) Ben: YIKES, dude, take it easy! I can only imagine what you'll do to the burger! Rook: The "burger". Enlighten me. Ben: Meat, veggies, and condiments stacked between two buns of bread. Rook: You should "take it easy". Don't expect me to understand the context of such things. Ben: You are from around here, right? Rook: NO! What do I look like to you? Ben: A human, for god's sake! Is that not some crazy tattoo design? Rook: By "tattoos", if you mean the dehumanizing aesthetics to skin, these are most certainly NOT tattoos, they are part of my anatomy. Ben: Wait, you're an alien? Rook: Well in the realms of all things obvious, I am an alien! In fact, I refuse to speak accustomed to your diminutive context - an "alien" to you is an outsider. Unlike your self-centered mindsets, I resided in all trenches of the galaxy and I accept life as creature, man or woman. Ben: Great to hear. You look like a man, so I'm going with that. Rook: I am Rook. Guardian to the creator and native of Revonnah. (Ben turns to Gwen and Kevin, who are huddled to the corner and taking in laughter.) Ben: Guys, come on, speak up! What's so funny? Kevin: You sound like that guy from that one movie! Ben: Well that's certainly specific. Kevin: You know, the god, or whatever? With the hammer? Ben: Elaborate. Kevin: What else is there to elaborate on? Blond hair? Cartoonish armor? Gwen: Nope. Ben: And nope. Rook: I don't appear to understand. Ben: Well, we can join that club, too. Kevin, please refrain from speaking in the future. It's, uh, not really your area. Kevin: *(Sigh)* Good to know. (Rook is looking back and forth confusedly at the three humans.) Ben: *(Sigh of amusement)* Look, guys, poor guy's having trouble getting any of this. Gwen: Poor guy almost beat you up. Ben: Right, we have questions to ask you. Rook: Questions, you say? Ben: Several. I mean, we just found out a whole lot of outlandish things that you have to answer for. Rook: What do I have to answer for? (Ben places his left arm on the table.) Ben: This. Rook: USURPER!! FUGITIVE! (Everyone around the diner turns to look at him again.) Ben: Ssh, I told you, calm down! Did I hit you too hard, make your memory a little fuzzy? Rook: (Announcing) I recollect everything now! (Making Shakespearean hand gestures) You abused the intellect of the creator and let your impulses put you all in a very dire situation of misunderstanding! The execution must go on by the Galactic Code of Conduct! (He slams his fists down on the table and glares at Ben.) (Everyone is staring awkwardly.) Ben: Uh, yeah. Pangs of schizophrenia, nothing much, you know? Guest: Then visit a doctor, you numbskull! Rook: I'm getting signals of derogatory ignorance! I and my kin do not take very kindly to such demeaning lust that you pathetic organisms revel in! AM I CLEAR? Ben: Hey, look, buddy, sit down. Hey, uh, guys? Yeah, we're clear, enjoy your burgers! Same Guest: I'm ordering fries! Ben: Same difference. I apologize for the inconvenience. Gwen: (Facepalms, mutters) I knew this was a bad idea. Woman: You're talking like you're the manager of this place, kid! Man: But you're not! How about we go call in the real manager to get you idiots under control? Guests: YES! Yes! Please! (A few people get up and move around the restaurant.) (Ben looks back at his menu, and over to Rook.) Rook: You still didn't answer my question, why are we here? Ben: Well, my intention was to keep you from going berserk, so we could talk this out without executions or anything. Rook: This is a public place and the worst setting to communicate the matters at hand. Kevin: Yeah, no kidding, you schmuck! Tell yourself that before announcing some "code of conduct" crap to the whole USA! Rook: I do not approve of your manner. Kevin: Touche. (A finely dressed semi-bald bespectacled, middle-aged, stout man comes over to the table, with a very serious expression on his face.) Ben: Ah, yes, we're ready. We'd like two large fries, with ketchup, three bacon-wrapped chicken burgers, be sure to add the double cheese, then four shakes, two vanilla, two chocolate, then would you happen to have something on the mild side? This guy's not the world's biggest foodie, so it'd be nice if you- (The man grabs Ben's menu and tears it to pieces. He slams them down on the table.) Ben: Well, that was your menu, technically. Oh, and nice suit by the way. Manager: My menu, nice suit. Good to see you know I'm the manager around here. Ben: Yeah, I figured. Do you still take orders? Manager: I GIVE them. And right now I'm ordering all four of you to scram on outta here so these ladies and gentlemen can enjoy their food in peace! Ben: Well, it was him who did it, not- Manager: People tell me you said he was schizophrenic? Shouldn't he be your responsibility? Or an adult's? How old are you? Ben: Sixteen, and that was a lie, this guy's a long story and that's that. Manager: Whatever it may be, you're being very disruptive and disrespectful to the people here! Either keep it down or you're gonna have to leave, am I clear? Rook: I am growing exceptionally uncomfortable with anyone's manner around here and I feel reluctant to have reveled in this cesspool of human filth! Manager: I'm sorry? Rook: Yes, be sorry! Be sorry you're in my presence, you disgust me! The whole group of you, always succumbing to the depths of humanity - you're no different! Manager: THAT'S IT. I'm far from amused! Get out! Rook: I refuse, you do it for me! Manager: I own this place and I'm telling you to leave! Rook: Make me move. Manager: Make me move! Rook: With pleasure, you scrawny oaf! (Rook gets up, grabs the manager by the collar, and throws him to the side.) Manager: AAH! (The manager goes stumbling into a waiter carrying a plate - the fries and the burger on the plate fall on the manager's head - the coffee also spills on the guy's pants.) Manager: AAH!!!! HOT! HOT! MOVE! (He scrambles to his feet and scurries off towards the bathroom - Ben and several others panic while Kevin watches with a bright grin and wide eyes. Gwen watches with shock.) (The guest who first insulted Rook gets up from his table.) Man: You already looked like a guy I wanted to beat up, now's finally the time! Rook: I say come at me! (The big man, grinning excitedly, throws off his coat, and now in a black T-shirt, charges at Rook.) (Rook jumps and cartwheels over the man's back, sending him crashing into a table.) (The man turns around, wipes the blood off his nose, and grabs Rook by the torso, knocking him over the head.) Rook: You fight like a child! (Rook elbows the man, grabs him by the head and throws him over. He side-kicks the guy and sends him crashing into the drink dispensers (the ones always at fast-food places with various sodas) - the back of his head presses several of them and Coke and lemonade pour on him.) Rook: I seek subsequent volunteers - I always enjoy a good fight! Ben: And you got one! I never planned for seconds! Rook: I can make my own decisions, thank you very much! Ben: And you're making one that's gonna get you arrested! Calm down! Gwen: I think it's a bit late for that. Kevin: So happy that's true, I wanna see this. Ben: Of course you do. (Rook is menacingly walking around the diner.) Rook: I said volunteers! Ben: No one wants to fight you, Rook! Rook: I have waded in this fecal realm for too long, there are some things I cannot take! I turn my dislikes into indulgences, it offers for a more optimistic outlook on life! Ben: Yeah, indulge in the prison cell, would you? (Through the windows, red and blue lights are seen blinking and police sirens are heard.) Ben: Well that happened fast. (Rook turns, and then runs out into the parking lot.) (He sees a few incoming squad cars. He runs over to a nearby car and stands on its hood. He yells loudly.) Rook: I refuse to fall under the deepest depths of authoritarian control! I do not stoop down to humanity's faults, I simply revel in them out of reluctance, and due to an unrelenting obligation - one of such your kind has a pathetic tendency to abandon after a short-lived and unworthy duration of lies! (The cops in one of the cars are looking at each other, confused.) (Three cars pull over and several officers get out with guns in hand.) 1: Alright, buddy! Step down from the car! Rook: Coercion from a minor kind is something no one among my people find respectable! This is a matter of honor! 2: *(Sigh)* Yeah, with us, it comes down to "hands behind your head, or I shoot!" Rook: Is that so? (Ben, Gwen and Kevin rush out and run to the car.) 3: Kids, please stay clear of the line of fire! Step back, please! (They comply.) Kevin: Rook! Turn yourself in! Rook: Do not sound foolish! Kevin: What you're doing is foolish! Step down, listen to the police! You're on our ground, you abide by our rules, you hear me? Rook: Why should I do this? (Kevin smiles a little and winks at Rook.) (Rook looks at him confused for a moment, before stepping down and awkwardly surrendering. He looks around confusedly.) 2: That's right. You're under arrest for battery and assault. (An officer cuffs Rook's wrists behind his back.) Rook: AAH!! The volatile aggression of your filthy- 2: You have the right to remain silent. (Rook looks at Kevin, who is slightly smiling. Rook looks angry.) (Ben is eating cereal. His dad is at the opposite end of the table reading a newspaper while drinking coffee.) Carl: So, Ben, how was the camping trip? Ben: Yeah, it didn't get cut off or anything, we just saw whatever there was to see quite quickly. Carl: I see. Anything interesting? Ben: Eh, not much. Carl: What about that watch? You never had one of those before. Ben: Oh, right, there was some other kid there who stayed for a shorter time, he gave it to me. Said he didn't need it. It had some cool lights and stuff, so I decided I'd have it. Carl: Cool. Did Gwen and Kevin enjoy themselves? Ben: (Chuckles) You bet. Carl: What's that supposed to mean? Ben: Oh, uh, um, nothing. (Ben's phone rings.) Ben: I've got it. (He checks the caller. It says "Rook".) (His face goes wide-eyed and he goes into his room before answering.) Ben: Please tell me how you got this number. Rook: Should I also tell you how I'm walking free of that ridiculous incarceration? It's quite odd. Ben: You're free? Rook: It appears there's a concept of releasing inmates in exchange for a sum of money. It eclipses the opportunistic cynicism these people revel in, going as far as sacrificing the captivity of dangerous people. Ben: Well, feel happy you're back on the streets. Oh, and I think the concept you're talking about it called bail, am I correct? Rook: "Bail", yes, that's what those uniformed buffoons called it. My price was at 10,000 credits. You people here call them "dollars". Ben: Ten thousand? Who paid the bail? Rook: I am currently unaware. That aside, the reason I call is to arrange a meeting. Ben: Oh, so you're going cloak and dagger now? Shadowy meetings as executions? I bet your spot has a nice concrete wall to pin me against, am I right? Rook: Actually, no. I am currently keeping the thought of killing you on a temporary suspension, as I believe we must resort to a particular alternative in light of recent events. Ben: What recent events? Rook: Meet me at a place called "Wellington Park" - it's a spacious mass of grassy land and clumsily trimmed foliage, plus these strange and hazardous devices young children climb on. Its bound to get them injured, the way these poisoned minds have been educated into behaving like primates. Ben: I'm pretty sure what a playground looks like. And I know the place you're talking about. What time? Rook: In exactly 1 hour. Ben: Sure thing. Rook: There we shall discuss said events, plus a few extraneous matters, such as "bailing", and the morbid consumable you call a "burger". These aspects of society are subject to deep study, should I ever bog down to these pits yet again. Ben: We're talking about burgers, huh? Sounds good, I'll be there. Rook: Good. (He hangs up.) (Ben takes a momentary glance at the Omnitrix. He then starts for the door.) Sandra: Where are you going, honey? Ben: To the park, for soccer. Sandra: Have fun! (Ben steps out into a sunny day - projected on his face are the moving shadows of trees as he walks down the street, repeatedly glancing at the Omnitrix. He then puts his sleeve over his wrist and begins running down the sidewalk.) (The camera follows him before beginning to distance out, panning upward to forests up ahead.) (Ben arrives inside a clearing in the woods. He looks up at the trees and around at the surrounding nature, making note of pathways to follow.) (He walks towards another clearing and steps up onto a rock, leaning his hand against a tree trunk. He observes the terrain ahead in the trail - it's rocky and jagged, and frequently cut off by fallen logs and stumps.) (Ben nods in sureness and looks at the Omnitrix.) (He accesses the "biological library" and scrolls through holograms.) Ben: Something that can run fast around rough ground, and climb... (He stops at a monstrous dog-like form.) Ben: What do we have here? (He takes a short look at it.) Ben: Here goes nothing... (He slams the dial.) (The veins in his body start glowing green, as do his eyes.) (The next shot cuts off to a corner around a tree, overlooking some of the rough terrain - it's in fact facing (from a distance) where Ben was, except he isn't there anymore.) (An orange, dog-like monster growls and stumbles around the corner as it dashes over rocks and jumps logs: Wildmutt.) (A first-person shot shows a tunnel vision-like view of the environment with greater depth, plus random things like plants and moving animals being highlighted like X-rays, as some kind of object of interest.) (Wildmutt growls and looks about, before sprinting up a tree. He scrambles up about 2 yards before jumping off, swinging on a branch, and tumbling down, scratching a tree trunk as he does so. He leaves strong gashes as claw marks as the rising camera distances away into an aerial shot, as Wildmutt is seen running, getting smaller and smaller as the camera zooms out.) (The camera becomes level with the leaves of the trees, before a transparent image of a ticking clock shows up onscreen. It speeds up as the camera zooms through the city at the same angle, slowing down to a halt above a park within city central. The clock stops at 10:07 AM.) (Rook is sitting in a park bench looking around, dressed in a black leather jumpsuit.) (Ben walks up behind him and sits down.) Ben: It's pretty hot outside, you know? Rook: I see that. Ben: No, I mean, your clothes. Why this much? Rook: This is designation uniform. I feel no need to dress sparingly when I am unhindered by this perceived heat. Ben: Okay, then. So... burgers? Rook: Bail first. I lied about not knowing who paid the money. Ben: Well is that so? Rook: Surprisingly enough it was your friend Kevin. Ben: WHAT? Rook: It's why he smiled and blinked one eye when I was apprehended. It was a signal of reassurance. Ben: It's called winking - but seriously, HE bailed you out? Where'd he get ten thousand dollars from? Rook: He tells me he "pickpocketed" roughly ten to fifteen people. He claims he has that as a skill. Ben: Well, remind me to whup him - he's screwed if anyone finds out. Rook: It appears he was fascinated in my side of the story. Ben: I doubt you told him anything. Rook: I did express gratitude. Ben: Like that's much. Now, why don't you want to kill me? Did something pop up so you need my help? Rook: It did. Tell me, have you learned to use the Omnitrix properly yet? Ben: This whole hour I was messing with a bunch of the aliens it had inside. I turned into an orange dog, some dude made of crystals, and my whole body got lit on fire once! It was crazy! Rook: *(Sigh)* You experienced the powers of a Vulpimancer, a Petrosapien and a Pyronite, respectively. Ben: Those are the species? Rook: Correct. Now, onto this truce. My outlook on this planet is wavering at the moment - observing the nature proved periodically remarkable. My optimism has increased enough to briefly trust you on something - you are the only one I can go to at the moment. Ben: I see. I was careful during test rounds, enough to not break too much. Rook: You think I'm worried for property damage? Here? Please. Ben: What are you asking about? (Rook looks around and then turns to Ben.) Rook: Have you ever in your life encountered or heard the mention of the name "Aggregor"? Ben: Now there's one thing I'd be able to remember any day. If it happened, of course. No, I have not heard of, uh, Aggre-what?\ Rook: Aggregor. Ben: Who's that supposed to be? Rook: The reason I came here in the first place. Ben: Go on. Rook: Aggregor is a morbidly dangerous fugitive known to have committed several acts of murder, theft, espionage and assassination, and has orchestrated numerous wars and both political and criminal disputes. He heads a multifaceted army, develops customized technology, and all this while being virtually untraceable. Ben: Sounds like the typical supervillain to me. Rook: If that's a subject of your ridiculous fictions, then it is a reality here. Most know his face - his identity isn't the problem, it's his activity. It's quite difficult knowing his next move, meaning he'll strike when you least expect it. His intentions are the most nebulous and his patterns are nonexistent. Either the common psychopath or a powerful mastermind. We believe he's both. Ben: Sounds about reasonable. Rook: We also believe he's come to Earth. Ben: I'd be surprised, but if he's not on Earth then why would it be my business? Rook: Exactly. See, Aggregor is a Mutant, one that is capable of immense strength and the anatomical absorption of other organisms. This means his extensive resources back up his further physical prowess, making him ever the more unstoppable without drastic preparation. If he doesn't offer that, then we're helpless. Ben: I doubt you're gonna tell me who "we" is, but I'm guessing that because this Omnitrix can store more than one organism, we'll have an advantage? Rook: That plus its versatility and capacity for strength. You, young man, bear an immense responsibility all by an accidental occurrence. Killing you would follow through on my organization's laws as well as sparing me of reminding you of the priorities, but right now a worse matter is at hand. Now I may not like Earth the most, but I have an obligation to protect it. Ben: Well, if the Omnitrix is our leverage, I guess there isn't much we can do together to prepare. Rook: True... Ben: So, burgers? Characters Main/Recurring Antagonists Other Aliens Used Category:Episodes Category:Episodes of Alienated: A Hero Reborn Category:Unfinished Episodes